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Nationalists blamed for Turkey violence

A pro-Kurdish opposition party blames Turkish nationalists for attacks on its headquarters and other buildings in Ankara. Paul Chapman reports.

TRANSCRIPT +

Turkey's prime minister is appealing for calm after a night of attacks on newspapers and offices of a pro-Kurdish political party in Ankara and other cities.
The People's Democratic Party, the target of the violence, blames Turkish nationalists for the spree of destruction.
And it's accusing the country's president of organising the unrest.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY (HDP) CHAIRMAN, ALP ALTINORS, SAYING:
"Tonight alone 186 attacks were carried out and our headquarters were attacked. This is definitely a planned attack that was orchestrated from one particular place - the president and his staff at the palace are behind these attacks."
The unrest follows the killing of at least 15 police officers in two bombings on Tuesday by militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK.
Turkey's president accuses the People's Democratic party of links to the PKK, considered a terrorist group by Turkey and the United States.
Daily clashes between Kurdish militants and security forces in the southeast are casting doubt on whether a credible election can be held in two months' time.
There are fears of violence targeting campaign rallies and voting day itself.
The conflict's also complicated Turkey's role in the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State.
A Kurdish militia allied with the PKK has been battling Islamic State in northern Syria, backed by U.S. air strikes.
Turkey fears territorial gains by Syria's Kurds will fuel separatist sentiment among its own Kurdish population.

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